Mrs. Clean

“Whew” Rachael wiped the sweat from her brow, standing with the mop in one hand.

Floors? Vacuumed, mopped. Scrubbed when needed.

Shelves and various pieces of furniture? Dusted.

Dishes? Done.

Laundry? Cleaned, folded, and put away.

“Gawd damn, Earl. That wore me out more than you did last night.”

Earl ignored the girl, unsure how to respond to such a statement. He continued looking around, admiring the job he and Rachael had done. The place hadn’t looked this clean since he had moved in. Earl **** himself and his bum leg over to the table, sitting to take a much needed break. He motioned for Rachael to join him. Leaning the mop against the wall, she plopped down across from him. Her sitting posture was far more relaxed than only a few days ago, her posture slouched and her legs spread. There was nothing refined about the way the girl carried herself Earl slid a water bottle across the table to the girl, eyeing her with a look of almost sadness. The sobriety clearing the fog, allowing him to see things as they are. To feel the tinge of guilt he had been numbing for years, only worsened by his recent actions.

“Listen, Rachael. I don’t know how to say this…and I’m certainly in no place to judge, but you don’t belong here.” Rachael looked at him confused.

“Um, what? If you’re feeling bad or whatever, don’t bother. Everything we did was fine, I came here all on my own.” Earl shook his head.

“Naw, jus listen ta me for a sec. For tha last decade and a half, I’ve been lost. Taking wrong turn after wrong turn, trying to numb whatever pains I was feelin. It only makes you even more lost, runnin away. So, when I look at ya…well, take it from someone who is beyon savin': You don’t belong here. Not in this place, doing dirty things for an even dirtier man. I don’t know what lead you here, but running away won’t save ya. You can put on whatever mask you wan’, but the tears underneath will always seep through.” Earl, speaking from experience, was doing his first worthwhile thing in years. Trying to get someone back on the right track, even if he might fail.

“Ur young. You got a lotta time to straighten it all out, even if it’s hard. I want ya to think on it, because who you’ve been ain’t what ya are. Oh, and here…”

The man turned his phone to the girl, deleting each and every lewd photo she had sent. He went through his photo library and everything he could think of to show he had no copies of them.

Rachael was tearing up. Her life had been falling apart piece by piece, losing herself bit by bit. She didn’t know why it was happening, but she knew it was true and that no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t stop it. Like trying to keep a boat afloat, but the boat had multiple holes. Suddenly, it felt like someone had thrown her a rope. And of all the people in her life it was neither her parents, boyfriend, or best friend. It was Earl.

“Thank you, Earl.” Said Rachael, teary eyed with a newfound, or more accurately, regained clarity. “But…there’s one thing you’re wrong about. You aren’t beyond saving, and as long as you need help I will have a reason to be here.” She smiled at the man, wiping away a tear.

At that moment, Earl too shed a tear.